Paper 3 - Relationship - Parasocial Relationships Flashcards
(29 cards)
What is the short version for Parasocial Relationships
PSR
What does para mean?
Close to or beside
What are PSR?
Parasocial relationships are one sided unreciprocated relationships, usually with a celebrity, on which the fan expends a lot of emotional energy, commitment and time but the celebrity doesn’t know the fan exists
When are PSR more likely to occur?
PSR’s are more likely to occur if:
The object of affection is perceived as attractive
Perceived as similar to us
Perceived as real
The viewer is female
The viewer is lonely and shy
What are the different levels of PRS relationships?
Entertainment social
Intense - personal
Borderline pathological
Explain the top of the levels of PRS relationships
Entertainment social
Celebrity is a source of gossip/interaction
Explain the middle level of the levels of PRS relationships
Intense - personal
Intensive, compulsive feelings towards celebrities
Explain the bottom level of PSR?
Boarderline pathological
Uncontrollable behaviours/ fantasies
Eg some people started cutting themselves when Justin Beiver was arrested
What is the AAM?
Absorption Addiction model
Explain the AAM?
The AAM has two parts; the first part, absorption, is where people become absorbed in the celebrity’s lifestyle, women might want to look like them and want to establish a personal identity with that person. The second part, addiction, is where the person becomes obsessed with the celebrity and could undertake dangerous behaviours. This can happen in PSR if someone has failed at a normal relationship.
What could lead to someone progressing down the level of PSR?
Stressful life events
Explain the theory of a connection between attachment type and likelihood to have a PSR?
Theory proposes insecure attachment leads to an increased interest in celebrities.
Because PSRs make no demands, and do not involve criticism or the risk of rejection. Furthermore, the need to have their own unfulfilled needs are met (resistant)
Why relationship type is most likely to form a PSR?
Insecure resistant (anxious ambivalent)
Explain the attachment type in reference to PSR - securely attached?
Securely attachment - • Not likely
• Often have satisfactory real-life relationships and do not seek as additional relationship with a celebrity.
Explain the attachment type in reference to PSR - anxious avoidant
Insecure avoidant (anxious avoidant)- • Least likely
• They find it difficult to develop relationships and therefore are very unlikely to seek them from real or fictional people.
Explain the attachment type in reference to PSR - insecure resistant
Insecure resistance (anxious ambivalent) - • Most likely to form PSRs
• They have concern that others will not reciprocate their desire for intimacy. They turn to TV characters to satisfy their “unrealistic and often unmet relational needs”
Explain the results of McCutheon’s study?
Of 600ppts;
• 20% fell into the first category of ‘Entertainment- Social’
• 10% the second ‘Intense- Personal’
• 1% the third ‘Borderline- Pathological’
State the evaluations of AAM?
Explanation power
State the evaluation of attachment types?
Problems with the attachment theory
State the evaluations of - general PSR and attachment types
An explanation of eating disorder
Links to mental health
Roberts (2007)
State the evaluations for PSR
Cultural differences
State the evaluations of AAM and PSR?
Methodological issues
Explain the evaluation of AAM - explanationism
• A better description than explanation
• Describes the characteristics of people who are most absorbed by and addicted to celebrities but does not explain how the characteristics develop
Explain the evaluation of attachment types - problems with the attachment theory
McCutcheon et al. (2006)
1. Adults with insecure attachment are more likely to become attached to celebrities than those with a secure adult attachment type.
2. Insecure adults are more likely to agree with/condone stalking and obsessive behaviour towards celebrities.
3. There is a correlation between stalking and pathological tendencies towards attachment to celebrities.
McCutcheon et al’s research: Sample: 299 students (age 16-42) Procedure: used Celebrity Attitude Scale and a Stalking Scale.
Measured adult attachment using a relationship questionnaire.
Measured childhood attachment type through the use of a parental bonding scale based on their recall of the relationship with their parents before the age of 16.
